The present invention relates to a method of controlling a control device and a server, and more particularly, to a method of controlling an aggregation function of a server.
A universal plug and play (UPnP) technology and a digital living network alliance (DLNA) technology allow services and controls between home appliances of various manufactures. Especially, the UPnP technology allows compatible AV services and controls between audio-video (AV) devices. These compatible AV services include media streaming, uploading, and downloading.
The DLNA, as a home network device, includes a digital media server (DMS), a digital media player (DMP), a digital media renderer (DMR), a digital media controller (DMC), and a digital media printer (DMPr), and, as a mobile portable device, includes a mobile digital media server (M-DMS), a mobile digital media player (M-DMP), a mobile digital media uploader (M-DMU), a mobile digital media downloader (M-DMD), and a mobile digital media controller (M-DMC). Hereinafter, a digital media server (DMS) conceptually includes the M-DMS; a digital media player (DMP) conceptually includes the M-DMP; and a digital media controller (DMC) conceptually includes the M-DMC.
The UPnP classifies such devices into control point (CP) devices and control target devices. The DMC and DMP may be classified into a control point device, and the DMR, DMS, and DMPr may be classified into a control target device.
Moreover, the DLNA may define a 2 Box Model and a 3 Box Model.
The 2 Box Model includes a DMP and a DMS. In the 2 Box Model, the DMP allows a user to search for and play contents browsed and distributed by the DMS.
The 3 Box Model includes a DMC, a DMS, and a DMR. In the 3 Box Model, the DMC allows a user to search for the contents of the DMS, which are to be played in the DMR.
When a CP device of the UPnP or a DMP and DMC of the DLNA request content metadata to a control target device of the UPnP or a DMS of the DLNA, the control target device or the DMS collects a plurality of content metadata (generated content list) corresponding to each stored content and transmits them to a CP device, a CMP, or a DMC.
As the number of UPnP devices or DLNA devices used in homes or markets is increased, it is generalized that a plurality of digital media servers are included on a home network. As the number of digital media servers on a home network is increased, it becomes more difficult to find, manage, and organize media contents in a plurality of digital media servers. If a user cannot know which server contains contents that the user wants to find using the UPnP technology or DLNA technology, all digital media servers on a home network need to be searched.